CoolPix 5000

I have a question which I have sent to a number of different forums and sources related to the monitor brightness on the CoolPix 5000 when in manual mode. I purchased the CP 5K over the summer with a Ikelite 6190 housing and a DS 125 strobe. I recently took the camera for its first outing to St. Vincent. The difficulty that I ran into was the inability to adequately compose the shots when in the manual mode due to the monitor brighness dimming sue to the setting of the F stop and shutter speed. I did end up with some good results but I missed many shots sue to the inability to compose. Is there any way to place the monitor in the preview mode so that it is as bright as when in auto mode? It seems like I'm the only one who has this concern. Maybe my vision is just bad! I've tried using the modeling light on the DS 125 strobe, but that didn't really help.

Any comments or suggestions?

I've been shooting mine underwater for a year now and I've never experienced your problem...........you can change the monitor brightness from the menu, but I've never had to do it

Karl

I second Karl on that.

Corcort, I do know what you are talking about. Karl, Todd to see what Concort is saying set your CP5000 to either manual or Aperture priority and do the following in low light (room light at night is fine). Set the aperture to 2.8 and do a half press of the shutter button. Then set the aperture to f8 and do a half press, see the monitor go dimmer?

Corcort, there is not a way to avoid this, sorry. Depending on the subject try to compose WITHOUT the shutter half pressed.

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, if I press the shutter slightly, the screen brightens momentarily, but then goes dim. After some practice this was long enough to do some rough composition. It would be nice if we had an option to display information in the monitor, not as the camera sees it, but with enough light to compose. This is similar to a 35 mm when you look through the lens, the aperture is wide open so you have enough light to focus. It may be a long shot but I asked Nikon if there was a possibility of a firmware upgrade. They are considering.

Do you shoot in manual or automatic mode?

That and have them have the histogram superimpose over the image after it is taken so you can adjust your exposure just like the 5050 has.

I shot in manual and auto and was happy with the results either way.

along the same sort of lines, I've recently discovered a bit of an issue with the CP5000 whilst shooting at quick shutter speeds at f8.

I've recently been practising shooting subjects at f/8, ISO 100 and 1/1000 with the intention of achivieng a 'black' water background. My single DS125 is set to 1/8 power and I position it directly on top of the camera. Therefore I'm only shooting with little light with the intention of just catching enough light on the subject to make it stand out from the background

What I have been finding is that after I have taken a shot and checked it on the LCD it appears to be exposed correctly. However, once I've checked it on the computer at home I have discovered it's under exposed, probably by about 1 shutter speed level.

So I have now turned down my LCD brightness to -1. I tried it out yesterday and I found that it appears to be moe accurate when shooting with low light.

Anyone else tried this?

So I have now turned down my LCD brightness to -1. I tried it out yesterday and I found that it appears to be moe accurate when shooting with low light

Dave, this happens with me with the C5050 too, possibly because it's the brightest thing UW. I have thought of doing what you mentioned - just never got round to it. Like calibrating you computer monitor. I will try it when I get in the water next.

You have to do that w/ the S2pro also. I think they set the monitor brightness with the thought that we will be shooting in bright sunlight or at least topsides. I doubt the camera engineers had ANY idea we'd be taking their designs underwater!

Cheers

James

I can't see the 5000's monitor in bright light either. I bought an extend a view magnifier that I attach to the back of the housing with velcro. Works great. Do a search on the site hear. There was a extensive set of posts on this about a year or so ago.

Dave:

I did a search and was not able to find any information on the magnifier you refer to. Can you point me in the right direction?

Tim

Dave, did you check the in-camera histogram for exposure info?

Although I'm new to these forums, perhaps I can help. The darkening or the monitor occurs when the camera mechanically stops the lens down (to F8 for example) in manual mode, while the preview is with the lens wide open at F2.8. In program or aperature priority modes the camers varies the shutter speed to get you what it feels is the correct overall exposure (therefore no darkening of the monitor), but not in manual mode, where you set both shutter speed and aperature.

I am also interested in the monitor magnifier that was mentioned earlier. Does anyone have a brand name?

Doug

Hi Doug and welcome to Wetpixel.

Thanks for the clarification about the aperture/darkening. I had a feeling that was what it was. Sort of like when you hit the "DOF Preview" button on an SLR.

Cheers

James

http://www.photosolve.com/main/product/xtendaview/index.html

I have one but have yet to actually put it to use.

I have one also that I was about to put on ebay. I want to sell the whole set (for CP995). I will post it in the classified section tomorrow night with the ebay link. I'll start the auction at 20 bucks. I don't know how popular it will be so someone might get it for 20.